Can't keep replacing axles

[XHighOctanex]

92 loyale with 88 gl dual range trans, 2 inch adf lift, 27 inch grabbers. So I bought this car in November, did a set of front axles because they were bad. Put my tires on, put my lift on... few weeks go by, put a set of axles on because of shaking. Few weeks go by do axles, ball joints, and tie rods because of shaking again. Blew a headgasket pulled the motor and trans swapped the trans to the dual range yadda yadda did a set of axles. Few weeks have gone by and my passenger axle is about to explode again. This will be my 7th axle in less than 6 months. So finally today I had my Orielly's order in a pair of Heavy Duty axles, also going to do both motor and both tranny mounts while I'm at it just so I know for a fact they're done. Neither looked terrible when everything was out of the car but I'm not risking it. Anyways has anyone had much experience with the HD axles? I've seen 1 post on them and they kinda went back and forth on them. The ad seems really nice that they can take more angles and more expansion and what not. If after mounts and HDs (which I will double check for grease and makes sure the boots aren't going to tear right away), I'm going to have to look into other options. How does the 5 lug swap work out with axles? People running the fwd impreza axles, do those do better? Just need some form of solution, I'm not expecting years but I would like a couple months instead of a couple weeks between axles.

[XHighOctanex]

And since I just ranted on the poor thing here's some pictures, bae still cute even when it pisses me off. 

 

From a wheelin trip with my roommate.

 

[skishop69]

I assume you dropped the engine cradle when you lifted it? If not, I suspect that would be your problem. Stock axles barely had enough angle flex in them. Add 2" and you're stressing that working angle pretty hard.

[XHighOctanex]

I assume you dropped the engine cradle when you lifted it? If not, I suspect that would be your problem. Stock axles barely had enough angle flex in them. Add 2" and you're stressing that working angle pretty hard.

I thought 2inches was max before requiring the subframe lowered? And I am planning on lowering it, but decided if I want to just lower it the inch or wait and maybe lift the car more and drop it then.

[AdventureSubaru]

Sounds like a double whammy. Aftermarket axles and peak suspension lift without the subframe spacers. If it were just aftermarket axles, you'd be okay. Or 2 inch suspension lift on OEM axles. Neither would last forever, but certainly much longer than you're experiencing.

 

If these heavy duty ones fail, I'd switch to re-booted used OEM axles, or drop the subframes, or both going forward. you should notice a big difference.

[ferp420]

The hd axles will hit the crosmeber and explode if you dont drop the crossmeber enuff there alot thicker than the stock axles right were the lower controle arms mount because of the slip yoke but you can change them in 5 min with out taking the tire off even faster if you use quick pins to hold them on thats worth the extra cost and effert alone

[idosubaru]

Did you know there are people that never have issues with 2" lifts?  You need to find one, give them $10 to chant their psychic mojo into your car and then you're done.   

I've never had axle issues with straight 2" lifts (no dropping of crossmembers).  This is really easy: 

 

1. Get an OEM axle and reboot it.  I just found a couple hundred used axls in 13 seconds online, I assume some are OEM.

or

2. Call FWE in Denver.

 

Aftermarket axles suck.

 

5 lug swap:

XT6 knuckles = XT6 axles. EJ knuckles = EJ axles. Either way the answer is the same as 4 lug: 

 

1.  Get an OEM axle and reboot it

2.  Call FWE in Denver

 

EJ 5 lug opens up the door for far greater axle selection if availability becomes an issue look to that route. 

 

Aftermarket axles are a great fit for people who love taking apart their cars multiple times for the same thing.  There's a *very common* denominator - people with multiple questions and issues are running aftermarket axles.  People running 2" lifts without issues are doing what I said above.  

[ferp420]

Some people dont drive there cars enuff to break axles i had 3 sets of factory axles i rebooted them and greased them and they failed i used to work at one of thoughs shops that remanufaftured cv axles so ive rebuilt way more than my share in a profesional mannor so rebooting factory axles is not the end all be all solution you can take the aftermarket axles and add grease and new silicone boots and they last for years even being beat on hard with 30"tires i was only getting a month or 2 out of my aftermarket axles before i started rebuilding them my self out of the box brand new before i even instaled them the new axle rebilt with new silicone boots and sinthetic grease last a long time even under big torque and big tires while towing other cars and construction dabries and trash and logs around on a trailer in deep sand mud and rocks ive found that out of the box there is very little grease in the joints if any one was bone dry no grease at all and the boots they use suck the angle of the axle scrunches up one side of the boot and stretches the other side add heat and they only last a few hundread miles i still have high hopes for th3 hd axles even though my first one failed in like 200 miles but it did have grease in it so thats promising lol

[AdventureSubaru]

All correct.

 

The 3 main variables for axle life on a lifted car 1. Initial quality of the axle. (Aftermarkets are well documented as failing often and early.) 2. The strain put on it by the steepness of the lift. 3. How it's driven.

 

Its interesting that you've extended the life of some of your aftermarkets by regreasing and booting yourself. If more folks tried that with similar results we might be on to something.

 

You could try as Ferp420 mentioned and see what happens. OEMs though are tried and true across the board as being the cheaper and most reliable way to go.

[AdventureSubaru]

Some people dont drive there cars enuff to break axles i had 3 sets of factory axles i rebooted them and greased them and they failed i used to work at one of thoughs shops that remanufaftured cv axles so ive rebuilt way more than my share in a profesional mannor so rebooting factory axles is not the end all be all solution you can take the aftermarket axles and add grease and new silicone boots and they last for years even being beat on hard with 30"tires i was only getting a month or 2 out of my aftermarket axles before i started rebuilding them my self out of the box brand new before i even instaled them the new axle rebilt with new silicone boots and sinthetic grease last a long time even under big torque and big tires while towing other cars and construction dabries and trash and logs around on a trailer in deep sand mud and rocks ive found that out of the box there is very little grease in the joints if any one was bone dry no grease at all and the boots they use suck the angle of the axle scrunches up one side of the boot and stretches the other side add heat and they only last a few hundread miles i still have high hopes for th3 hd axles even though my first one failed in like 200 miles but it did have grease in it so thats promising lol

 

I'm curious about this. You may want to start a thread on this subject alone and document which brands were used, what you did to them and how long they have lasted under various conditions. As parts for these older cars get more scarce, the more options we have for keeping them on the road reliably, the better.

 

if this is another good long term solution it will be music to many ears.

[Logan K]

Working in the automotive repair industry, I can say with some certainty that a BIG problem with some of the aftermarket CV axles is a lack of grease. Several of the failed units we have had come back for warranty replacement have been found to have little to no grease in the joints. There are several outfits that will rebuild your axle here in the USA...somewhat more expensive but the quality control is much higher.

[ferp420]

I'm curious about this. You may want to start a thread on this subject alone and document which brands were used, what you did to them and how long they have lasted under various conditions. As parts for these older cars get more scarce, the more options we have for keeping them on the road reliably, the better.

 

if this is another good long term solution it will be music to many ears.

I Have a thread some were on here of my rebooting and greasing + pics of dry axles out the box i sent the pictures to orielys so they know what about the problem they wouldent warrenty there axles i raised hell and now they dont give me any problems so i sent a nice long email and documented everything for there troubles

[idosubaru]

If dozens of axles are breaking no matter the brand then there is, by definition, no existing axle based solution after thirty years of time. That sounds like a different topic to me.

 

The only axle option is to wonder if every new model is different than the last 30 years of unsuccessful ones. Opinions will differ regarding the efficacy of being guinea pigs and hoping for decades.

 

usage is clearly a key factor with any physical component. Still left with the same facts - Aftermarkets break all the time in milder use when OEM are not.

 

It's a mess no matter how it's looked at. Personally I Imagine a restaurant where people puke 50% of the time they eat there - it would be unacceptable and never survive. But aftermarket axles get a free pass. Part of me doesn't want to participate in that and it helps that OEM are still available and in three decades have never even been close to outperformed.

Edited April 21, 2017 by grossgary

[XHighOctanex]

So based off of what everyone has said I'm going to try 2 things, either warrantying my axles one more time and doing the silicone and new grease. Then I'll collect for the 5 lug swap which was my plan anyways. And as to how I drive the car I know by far I beat on those axles, they're troopers. The only axle I haven't replaced is that passenger rear which is still stock! Even the driver side I only replaced once for the first time a few weeks ago. What is the easiest and most effective way to do the 5 lug swap? I've seen a few different ways, what is the best and most effective? I'd like to run ej as I feel they'll be more readily available. 

[ferp420]

Reality has to set in my tires are 28% larger than stock thats equvalent to putting 38" tires on a half ton truck built to run 30" tires theres no posable way to change that the tires are just to big for the car adding way more stress to everything everyware on the car we accept that when we lift these rigs we know parts are gona fail the good thing for us is these cheap fuses have a lifetime warrenty so ive accepted that and found a easyer to change axle so if they hold up for any time at all ill consider that the best solution

[idosubaru]

Yep EJ stuff is everywhere and easily available. my first thoughts would be to look at 2000-2004 outback OEM axles, same aftermarket debacle exists with EJs.

 

Rears are generally done via XT6 rear hubs - which still leaves you with EA rear axles.

[XHighOctanex]

Yep EJ stuff is everywhere and easily available. my first thoughts would be to look at 2000-2004 outback OEM axles, same aftermarket debacle exists with EJs.

 

Rears are generally done via XT6 rear hubs - which still leaves you with EA rear axles.

Who's Front control arms do I use?

[AdventureSubaru]

Since you're in California, Row52.com and Car-part.com will be very helpful in locating an XT6 for the more difficult parts.

[XHighOctanex]

Since you're in California, Row52.com and Car-part.com will be very helpful in locating an XT6 for the more difficult parts.

I live on row 52 half the time. That's how I found my shjft linkage for the dual range all the the way in Carson city Nevada. Fun trip. Didn't realize turbos were rare and had disc brakes there was one there and like 3 or 4 other ea82s.rip